Beijing promoting museums during monthlong event

As part of China Tourism Day on Friday, 10 research and study routes between museums have been created for museum-goers in Beijing.

According to Guan Zhanxiu, executive director of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Conservation Association, the routes are designed along four cultural themes: ancient capital culture, Red culture, innovation culture and Beijing culture. The routes, which take into account the unique features of each participating museum, will be revealed on Friday.

The launch of the routes is part of Beijing Museum Activity Month, which began on May 1 and will end on June 2.

Under the slogan of "Museum City: Making People's Lives Better," Beijing Museum Activity Month aims to fully leverage the advantages of museums around the capital to demonstrate their charm and appeal, according to Bai Chong, director of the museum department of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau.

During the monthlong event, nearly 300 exhibitions are being held by a wide array of museums, serving the general public in the Beijing area a cultural feast. This is creating an opportunity for people to immerse themselves in the beauty of the museums and their cultural artifacts, Bai said.

Beijing Museum Activity Month kicked off on May 1 at the China Railway Museum's Dongjiao Branch, and included a three-day Beijing Museum Creative Market as part of the celebration.

On Thursday, which is International Museum Day, the Blue Book of Beijing Museums, which reflects the overall achievements in the development of the city's museums, will be officially released. This publication will showcase the accomplishments of Beijing's regional museums, including their exhibitions and their social education and volunteer programs, Bai said.

The results of the "2022 Annual Selection of Excellent Exhibition Events in Beijing Museums" and the "2022 Annual Selection of Excellent Social Education Cases in Beijing Museums" will also be announced on Thursday.

The newly revamped Beijing Museum Cloud mini-program will also be launched on International Museum Day. The program provides users with detailed and accurate information about museum exhibitions, collections, educational activities and reservation services.

During the month, 10 museums, including the China Railway Museum and the Capital Museum, have decided to extend opening hours for museum-goers who want to visit after work.

On Wednesday, the inaugural Charming Beijing museum volunteer sharing team, which consists of 22 people from 20 museums in the Beijing area, will begin sharing stories about Beijing's rich cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from the remarkable exhibitions and prominent collections of their respective institutions.

On May 10, the 2023 International Symposium of the Think Tank for Beijing Cultural Heritage and Museums Development took place at the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum.

The event, themed "A City as a Museum," invited renowned museologists from Italy, Germany, the United States and elsewhere to give speeches to lend an international perspective to the construction of museums in the capital.

On the same day, the Museums Enter Schools event kicked off at the Jiayuan branch of Beijing No 80 High School, with the aim of enhancing collaboration between museums and schools in Beijing, and facilitating the integration of museum resources into the education system.